


Make Believe

by ddagent



Category: Holby City
Genre: Episode Remix, F/F, Fake/Pretend Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-08
Updated: 2017-01-08
Packaged: 2018-09-15 19:47:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 964
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9253415
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ddagent/pseuds/ddagent
Summary: Serena tells Edward she has a date. With Bernie Wolfe. A remix of 16.13, "Self Control".





	

**Author's Note:**

> So I was going back through Serena’s past scenes. After watching this episode, I realised it needed a Bernie twist. Hope you enjoy!

“And you’ll have to excuse me but I’ve got a date.”

Edward stared, mouth fixed into an unflattering sneer. Following her eye line across the car park, he caught sight of the blonde opening her car door. He scoffed. “Bernie? Bernie Wolfe?”

“Yes.” Serena wet her bottom lip, her mouth fixed into a thin smile. “Bernie Wolfe.”

It had seemed like such a good idea at the time. An excuse to get away from Edward; a chance to make his hackles rise as he thought about her with someone else. But of course the nearest person in the car park at that very moment was Bernie _bloody_ Wolfe, currently shoving a duffel bag into the back seat of her sports car. At least with recent revelations, a fictional date with the trauma surgeon was at least believable. Even if the look on Edward’s face told her he didn’t completely buy it.

“We’ve been flirting ever since she arrived at Holby,” Serena offered, knuckles tightening around her bag. “We’re both single now. Seemed like an exciting opportunity.”

Edward’s infuriating smirk refused to shift. “So let me get this straight. You’re so angry with me you’ve sworn off _all_ men and are now dating Bernie Wolfe?”

Her jaw locked in place as a wave of anger rolled over her. That smug, _selfish_ \- “Surprisingly, Edward, my relationship with Bernie has _nothing_ to do with you. Now, if you’ll excuse me, my date awaits.”

With every step across the car park, Serena was regretting her decision. Unfortunately there was no going back now. She strode in the direction of the blonde, currently tossing what looked like half a sandwich out of her glove compartment. Edward’s words, so _dismissive,_ rang in her ears. A thought, another _incredibly stupid_ thought _,_ crossed her mind. She hoped that, as a recent addition to the embittered ex-wives club, Bernie would be more than happy to go along with it. After all, she did _owe_ Serena. Her recent troubles with Edward had given the rumour mill an excuse to ignore Bernie’s own romantic woes.

Serena was two paces away from Bernie when she spoke. “Kiss me.”

Bernie lifted her head from the car door, her forehead knotting at the odd greeting. “I’m sorry?”

“ _Kiss me._ ”

Her dark eyes narrowed, and Serena’s stomach churned at the thought of the blonde refusing. But then Bernie caught sight of Edward hovering nearby, holding that _ridiculous_ bouquet of flowers, and she suddenly cottoned on. A pair of hands slid against Serena’s face, her thumb brushing against the line of her jaw. Bernie leant in, her lips gently pressing against Serena’s own. A soft kiss to her top lip; an eager caress against the bottom. A slight catch of teeth, and then no more.

Serena opened her eyes – _when had she closed them_ – and watched a smile bloom on Bernie’s lips. _God those lips._ “Good enough, Ms Campbell?”

She swallowed, nodding. She held Bernie’s gaze, unwilling to move. She told herself she didn’t want to risk glancing at Edward lest she give the game away. “Yes, thank you, Ms Wolfe.”

Serena tried not to hold much stock in the slight tingle across her mouth, or the way Bernie’s gaze seemed to flicker back towards her lips. But with the kiss over, and their charade hopefully enough to satisfy Edward, it was time to get a little distance between them. As if sensing the moment was over, Bernie’s hands fell from her face. Serena’s own tucked themselves under her armpits, unsure of what move to make next. _How far do I take this?_

As always, however, it was the trauma surgeon who had the Plan B. “Do you want a lift?”

Serena beamed, a smile reciprocated warmly by the blonde. “Thank you.”

“Any time.”

Serena tried not to draw too many conclusions from those two simple words, yet her mind went into overdrive regardless. Did Bernie mean she would always be more than happy to give her a lift? During Bernie’s brief tenure at Holby, their interactions had either been defined by sparring matches over patient care or sharing a few glasses of Shiraz at Albie’s. Bernie was perhaps the closest thing to a friend Serena had at the hospital. A friendship that seemed to extend to kissing each other in order to spite one’s ex-husband.

Which brought Serena to her second thought. Did Bernie mean she would be willing, at any time, to repeat their kiss? A kiss that contained none of the slobber she so associated with Edward; nor the tang of vodka on his breath. A kiss that had almost been sensual despite the Holby car park where it took place. Serena was more than aware that Bernie Wolfe was a beautiful woman, and their sparring matches as consultant and temporary CEO had often bordered on flirtation. But that was where the line was drawn. _Right?_

“Serena?”

She blinked once, twice, dragging herself out of the rabbit hole her thoughts had wandered down. Bernie was staring at her, her gaze plain in its concern. “Sorry. Just thought I’d overlooked a meeting with Mister Self. Shall we?”

As Bernie opened the driver’s side door, Serena quickly hurried around to the other side. It took her several attempts to open the door handle, her palm slick with sweat. Once inside, she locked the belt tight across her chest; her hands kept firmly in her lap lest they wander. Bernie quickly gunned the engine, peeling away from the car park. As they passed Edward, he gave her a cheeky wave and a look that said _you’re not fooling anyone._

As Serena glanced over at Bernie, the blonde’s smile the only bright thing on such a cloudy day, she was faced with the thought that maybe she _was_ fooling someone. _Herself._  


End file.
